DESPITE their pleas, health practitioners in Andros have been told to offer services from an apartment complex as proposed renovations to the island’s clinic have stalled.

According to an operations report obtained by The Tribune, health officials on the island have been forced to work through circumstances that were originally presented as a provisional resolution to the substandard conditions reported at the Mangrove Cay Clinic.

The confidential document addressed to health officials in New Providence, specified that operations of the Mangrove Cay Clinic were temporarily transferred to the Bastian apartment complex on the island in February, after a team of contractors started electrical work and termite remediation at the facility.

About a week after the move, work at the clinic was stopped. To date it has not resumed.

The report claimed that in 2009, the clinic underwent extensive renovations, with electrical and plumbing repairs being carried out; termite and mould remediation efforts being sought; a new central air conditioning system and an upgraded cooling unit for the morgue were installed and roof repairs were sanctioned.

Also, between 2012 and 2013, the clinic’s roof underwent two separate repairs for severe leaks and mould growth, electrical issues and air conditioning failures.

The operations report noted that the clinic continued to deteriorate despite the repairs and renovations.

“There was no ventilation, air conditioning or electricity in many parts of the building. All of this was constantly being reported to the authorities in Nassau,” the report said.

As if those problems were not enough, several issues have arisen with the temporary site.

According to sources familiar with the facility, the site is located in a potential flood zone and the external doors to all the rooms are French designed. The building itself is prone to flooding, The Tribune was told.

Additionally, the site isn’t equipped with a generator to offset power outages, exposing vital medication and vaccines to irreparable damage.

The Tribune understands that officials are now housing bulk supplies at the original facility and smaller “batch” quantities at the makeshift compound and emergency supplies in sections of the nurses’ residence.

“The staff of the Mangrove Cay Community Clinic are committed and dedicated to the task of providing efficient, effective and up-to-date primary and emergency health care to our clients, both Bahamians and visitors. To accomplish this task, we would like to function in a facility that is safe, healthy and well equipped,” the report said.

“We would like the opportunity to participate in educational programmes, workshops and seminars to increase our skills and competencies. A skilled and competent workforce is motivated and responsive to the health needs of the community; and to the education of the clients and patients who present to the clinic. These health care team members are keen to go above and beyond the call of duty in the performance of their roles in the department.

“We would like a budget that is reflective of the fiscal situation here in Mangrove Cay. Goods and services are more expensive on the Family Islands than in New Providence and our budget is simply inadequate to cover our expenses.

“We will continue to plan, develop, implement, monitor and evaluate the delivery of our services to our clients and patients, and make adjustments as needed. Our vision continues to be ‘to provide continuous, accessible, affordable, promotive, preventative and curative health care services to the residents of and visitors to Mangrove Cay,’” the document added.

“It is hoped that at some time in the near future some communication will trickle down to the staff, who are working in less than ideal conditions and are hoping for some permanent solution to this situation,” said one official on the island.

Sources in Andros said they have not received any indication of when or if the issues at the Mangrove Cay Clinic will be resolved.e stalled.

By Ricardo Wells, Tribune Staff Reporter

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